Highlights: When Merriam-Webster’s Not Enough: Maine Governor OKs Study to Define “Employee”; Mid-Michigan lawmakers critical of health care legislation; NJ: Democrats' support of N.J. employee pension reform has unions threatening payback at the ballot box and NJ: Gov. Christie calls pension overhaul his 'biggest governmental victory' in exclusive interview; CT: Anger, distrust, fear drive 'no' votes on union concessions; PA State worker unions land enviable contracts...; WI Collective Bargaining Changes go into Effect Wednesday; full Scrooge Alert at http://dailyscroogealert.blogspot.com/

National

More People Die on the Job than Die in the War

New Jersey

NJ: Gov. Christie calls pension overhaul his 'biggest governmental victory' in exclusive interview
With his "biggest governmental victory" in the books, Gov. Chris Christie plans to fight the Democrats on their call for a millionaires tax, get the budget passed this week with no major disruptions, then turn to overhauling the education system.

NJ: Democrats' support of N.J. employee pension reform has unions threatening payback at the ballot box
It felt like a bad breakup, complete with angry tirades and tearful pleading. New Jersey Democrats have spent years locked arm-in-arm with unions, but the historical alliance frayed last week as the Democrats who control the Legislature pushed through a plan to cut public worker benefits.

Pennsylvania

MADONNA: Corbett 'reluctant to take the unions on'...

State worker unions land enviable contracts...

Senate Republicans expected to unveil budget plan today...

Faculty union leader condemns deeper cut in state funding for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

The faculty union leader at the 14 state universities expressed disappointment over the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education's proposed state funding being cut by $15 million more than was anticipated.

Pennsylvania laws pitting public schools against private

Gov. Tom Corbett has laid out a vision for public education in Pennsylvania in which schools compete to offer students the best chance at success.

Michigan

Mid-Michigan lawmakers critical of health care legislation

Three mid-Michigan lawmakers are opposed to Republican legislation that would end retiree health care insurance for a majority of state workers.

Ohio

Dems Say SB 5 Energizing Base
Wheeling News Register
By JOSELYN KING - Political Writer , The Intelligencer / Wheeling News-Register The fight over collective bargaining rights in Ohio is energizing the Democratic Party's base as the 2012 elections approach, party leaders believe. ...

INSIDE SENATE BILL 5: How Stark's public workers would be affected
Canton Repository
Senate Bill 5, which essentially rewrites Ohio's collective bargaining law for the first time in 28 years, would limit how much government, school districts and other public employers could spend on employee health insurance and retirement and require ...

Wisconsin

Governor signs budget at Ashwaubenon manufacturer
Chippewa Herald
... one that exempted emergency medical service providers from the collective bargaining law, another that killed a bid to bring back for-profit bail bondsmen and a third that ended an attempt to change the way Wisconsin taxes certain tobacco products. ...

Collective Bargaining Changes go into Effect Wednesday
WHBL Sheboygan
That's the day Wisconsin's new limits on public union bargaining take effect. About half the state's teachers' unions will feel the immediate impact, along with around four-thousand local government employees and at least 22-thousand state workers. ...

Milwaukee County workers' union tries to push new contract before CBL takes effect
Today's TMJ4
By Tom Murray with Jay Sorgi MILWAUKEE - Just two days before the new Wisconsin collective bargaining law is set to take effect, members of Milwaukee County's largest union are trying to get a new contract passed. The AFSCME is hoping the Milwaukee ...

Maine

When Merriam-Webster’s Not Enough: Maine Governor OKs Study to Define “Employee”

New Hampshire

Let's stop misinformation about Right to Work
Seacoastonline.com
Right To Work will help the New Hampshire economy. False. There are lots of useless statistics on this subject, but the true comparison is that between New Hampshire's economy and those of the Right To Work states. New Hampshire is doing better than ...

Coalition to wage people's veto campaign to revive Election Day voter registration law

Critics of the Legislature's recent decision to end Election Day voter registration in Maine said Thursday a broad coalition is building to quickly collect the 57,000-plus signatures needed to put the issue in front of voters this November.

Connecticut

CT: Anger, distrust, fear drive 'no' votes on union concessions
UConn Health Center nurse Diane Bergen voted "no" because she feared an erosion of retirement benefits and because she distrusted the process. Mike Alewitz, an associate professor at Central Connecticut State University, voted "no" because he thinks the governor should raise taxes on the rich instead of trying to wring concessions from state employees.

Nebraska

Child welfare reform evaluation committee learn about challenges to privatization

Many challenges exist for states that privatize child welfare, two officials from the National Conference of State Legislatures told Nebraska state senators Thursday.

Taken From Seacoastonline.com:

Let's stop misinformation about Right to Work

There is a lot of misinformation being spread about Right To Work; some of it by those not knowing any better and some by cynical idealogues who know what they are saying is untrue:

Workers (according to RTW supporters) are forced to join a union to get or keep their jobs. False.

This practice (also known as the "Closed Shop") was outlawed by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. It has been the law of the land for more than 60 years. Anyone who says workers are forced to join a union to get or keep a job is either misinformed or lying.

Right To Work will help the New Hampshire economy. False.

There are lots of useless statistics on this subject, but the true comparison is that between New Hampshire's economy and those of the Right To Work states. New Hampshire is doing better than almost all the RTW states in almost every category: unemployment rate, average income, median income, job growth. There is no evidence that Right to Work will bring jobs to the state or improve its economy.

Right To Work is about protecting workers rights. False.

RTW was designed to undermine workers and unions. The National RTW Committee, located in Fairfax, Va., was founded in 1955 by a group of southern businessmen with the express purpose of destroying unions. It is supported by the super-rich and large corporations who have zero interest in workers rights or, for that matter, the state of New Hampshire.

Right To Work is funded by outside interests who have put together a strong misinformation campaign that many have bought into. RTW is not about workers' rights, freedom of choice, or a better economy. It's purpose is to lower the power of workers in the workplace, union and non-union alike. Year after year, RTW was brought up in the N.H. Legislature, funded out of Fairfax, Va. Year after year, this out-of-state-funded legislation was defeated, under both Republican and Democratic majorities, until this year.

I urge you to contact your state legislators immediately (visit www.nh.gov) to voice your opposition to Right to Work and urge them to uphold the governor's veto.

Michael Frandzel

Portsmouth